Warriors fight through to semifinals

By CURT HORNBECKER / Staff Correspondent

But the Boonsboro boys soccer coach obviously pushed the right buttons at halftime Tuesday night.

continued

After a lethargic first half, the Warriors erased a 2-0 deficit with three goals in nine minutes to claim a 3-2 win over Catoctin in the quarterfinals of the Maryland Class 1A South playoffs.

The Boonsboro girls also advanced with a 2-0 victory over Brunswick in the second game of the doubleheader.

Senior Robbie Pongratz headed in the game winner for the Warriors (7-7-1) in the 64th minute off an Austin Gray corner kick after Joel Forsyth tied the game just four minutes earlier. Matt Kibler got Boonsboro started on a free kick in the 55th minute, finding the seam in a host of defenders.

Advertisement

All that came after the Warriors managed just two shots in the first half.

"We just weren't ready to play (in the first half)," said Pongratz. "We came out really flat. But coach ragged on us at the half, and we came out and picked it up."

The Cougars (6-9) established control early in the game, as Warriors goal eeper Ryan Stone deflected a Ben Whitney shot only to watch Eric Schneider find the left corner of the net for a 1-0 lead in the 13th minute. Catoctin made it 2-0 in the 32nd minute when Dennis Smith forced Stone out of position and found the open net.

"(We) were up 2-0, and we probably thought we had the game won," said Catoctin coach Jack Bentley. "But 40 minutes is a significant amount of soccer to be played."

HEIGHT="6" ALT="* "> In the girls game, Krista Hurley scored both goals as the Warriors (8-5-1) completely dominated play, but had trouble finishing against Brunswick keeper Shannon Hough and a busy Railroaders defense.

"I thought we'd come out and score sooner," said Hurley. "We controlled the game, but (Brunswick) brought everybody back on defense, and that made it tough to score."

Hurley made it 1-0 in the 36th minute when her shot from 20 yards out barely missed teammate Allison Fries' head, distracting Hough enough for the ball to sail untouched into the net. Boonsboro's scored its insurance goal in the 75th minute when Hough deflected a Lindsay Hicks shot toward Hurley, who found the wide-open left corner.

The Warriors attempted 23 shots on goal compared to just one for the Railroaders (1-14).